PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Jamison Byrd (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Gilbert Rodriguez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Gilbert Rodriguez will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Byrd
vs
Rodriguez

191 cm
18
214 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

185 cm
18
205 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Can Moonwalk

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Jamison Byrd!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Gilbert Rodriguez!
The judges for this bout are Ryoma Takatsuka, Jeff Smith and Colin Fray.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Rodriguez clinches up against the cage.

Byrd's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Rodriguez throws a series of punches but Byrd avoids them all with ease.

Rodriguez moves into the clinch successfully.

Byrd manages to break the clinch.
Rodriguez connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.

Rodriguez bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Byrd manages to get back to half guard.
Byrd is controlling Rodriguez's trapped leg to prevent Rodriguez from advancing to side control.
Byrd has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
This has been an exciting period of action!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Byrd continues to stall.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Rodriguez seems to be working for a kimura but Byrd defends the submission attempt.
Byrd controlling the leg, holding on to half guard.
Byrd gets full guard.
Rodriguez must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Byrd has his hands on Rodriguez's head, controlling the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Byrd is on top in guard.

Byrd stands up from Rodriguez's guard - Byrd perhaps looking for a knockout.

Rodriguez clinches up with Byrd and pushes him back against the cage.
Stalling in the clinch from Byrd.
Byrd trying to land knees to the body.
Byrd tries a body shot but Rodriguez blocks it.

Byrd's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Rodriguez closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Byrd's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rodriguez wants to stand but Byrd is controlling his posture from full guard.

Rodriguez avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Byrd pulls Rodriguez in to control the position.
Byrd looking to hit a scissor sweep but Rodriguez is one step ahead there.
Byrd has control of Rodriguez's left arm, preventing Rodriguez from doing any damage.
Rodriguez trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

Rodriguez thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Rodriguez being controlled here momentarily.
Byrd's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Rodriguez postures up in Byrd's guard and throws a big left but Byrd blocks it.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

Rodriguez drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Byrd is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gilbert Rodriguez dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Rodriguez shoots in and bounces Byrd off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Byrd seems keen to control Rodriguez's posture.
More hug and hope from Byrd.
Byrd lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Byrd gets to his feet. Rodriguez looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!

That's one minute gone in the round.

Rodriguez closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Rodriguez trying to control the position but Byrd is working away.
Byrd is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Rodriguez is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.
Byrd slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Byrd is on top in guard.

Byrd with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.

Byrd stands and steps away. Rodriguez gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.

Byrd has Rodriguez up against the cage in a clinch.

Rodriguez pulls Byrd into guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Byrd is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.

Byrd stands up and waves to Rodriguez to follow him.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Rodriguez is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Byrd.
An attempted straight right counter from Byrd misses the target.
Rodriguez tries to bum rush Byrd with a series of wild strikes but Byrd uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Rodriguez throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Rodriguez misses with a wild combination.
Rodriguez is breathing heavily.

Byrd closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Byrd has Rodriguez pushed against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rodriguez is looking to break free of the clinch but Byrd has double underhooks.
Rodriguez blocks a body shot from Byrd.
Byrd slows down the pace here.
Rodriguez is looking to break free of the clinch but Byrd has double underhooks.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Byrd takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
A right hook to the body lands for Byrd.

Byrd escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Rodriguez feints and as Byrd raises his hands in defense, Rodriguez changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Byrd is pulling down on Rodriguez's head to control his posture.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Byrd lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Byrd stands up from guard. Let's bang!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Byrd shoots in and bounces Rodriguez off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Rodriguez is wriggling around but Byrd manages to pass to half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jamison Byrd dominated that second round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Byrd fails with a takedown attempt.
Byrd avoids the head kick by Rodriguez.

Rodriguez closes the distance and clinches.

Byrd's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Decent striking displayed by Rodriguez there.
Rodriguez throws out a leg kick but Byrd moves out of range and Rodriguez only half commits.
Byrd shoots in but Rodriguez avoids the takedown attempt easily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rodriguez throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Rodriguez scores with a nice head shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A nice combination there by Rodriguez.

Byrd gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Byrd lands a nice knee to the body.

Byrd manages to break the clinch.
Byrd changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Rodriguez tries to avoid it but Byrd manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Rodriguez to the ground. Rodriguez escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jamison Byrd. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Byrd fails in his attempt to clinch.
Rodriguez connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Byrd momentarily.

Byrd closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Rodriguez is trying to break the clinch but Byrd is controlling him.

Byrd manages to break the clinch.

Byrd tries to sprawl but Rodriguez drives through with a takedown into half guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Rodriguez thows a huge punch but Byrd dodges it nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Byrd kicks off Rodriguez and gets to his feet.
Byrd walks into a stiff left hand from Rodriguez.
Rodriguez misses with a kick to the body

and Byrd counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Byrd.
Byrd keeps control of Rodriguez as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Byrd stalling.
Rodriguez avoiding damage as Byrd throws knees to the body.

Byrd breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Rodriguez will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Rodriguez misses with a double jab.
Byrd throws a lazy right hand but Rodriguez sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.

Byrd rushes Rodriguez and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Byrd breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Rodriguez cracks Byrd with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Jab by Rodriguez.
A right-left combo lands from Rodriguez.

Rodriguez closes the distance and clinches.

Byrd breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
A left and a right from Rodriguez both land. Nice combination.
Byrd takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Gilbert Rodriguez seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Rodriguez shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Byrd is concentrating on defense, preventing Rodriguez from advancing position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rodriguez tries to stand and escape but Byrd is controlling the position.
Byrd wants to control but Rodriguez is keeping busy.
Byrd is doing well to avoid being mounted. He's controlling the position at the moment.
Byrd wants to control but Rodriguez is keeping busy.
Rodriguez missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

Byrd looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

Rodriguez seems to be looking for submissions.
Rodriguez throwing shots but Byrd is blocking nicely.

And that's the end of the fight!
Gilbert Rodriguez comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Rodriguez has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Ryoma Takatsuka scores the fight 28:29
Judge Jeff Smith scores the fight 28:29
Judge Colin Fray scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Gilbert Rodriguez!